VW boss Herbert Diess prevailed in parts in the recent power struggle for the leadership of the car manufacturer – but the supervisory board avoided an early extension of his contract. The inspectors expressed their “full support” to the manager at a special meeting on Monday evening. However, the company’s official statement does not mention the allegedly desired early further commitment with which Diess is said to have harassed and irritated some members of the committee.

It goes on The cooperation will be continued, it said with reference to the achievements and successes of the CEO: “In the coming years the board of directors will Volkswagen AG implement the strategy with Herbert Diess at the helm. ” According to information from the supervisor’s environment, he is said to have linked the replacement of three management positions with his own future at VW. So far, the chairman’s contract runs until April 2023.

Audi- Chief Financial Officer Arno Antlitz was considered Diess’ favorite to succeed Frank Witter, CFO, who wants to retire in June 2021. The inspectors have now approved, although the works council boss Bernd Osterloh’s face is said to have been viewed critically because of possible greater savings. The manager, whom Diess already knows from common times in the management of the VW core brand, is to “concentrate above all on further increases in efficiency” at the level of the entire group.

Unanimously recorded Murat Aksel will be the head of corporate purchasing at the turn of the year. Diess already knows him – from BMW. According to the announcement, an important part of Aksel’s mission: “the group-wide optimization of material costs”. Thomas Schmall, on the other hand, is to be responsible for the group’s own supplier division, which is internally called “Components”. From the new year he will be in charge of a new “Technology” board member. The three managers each receive a three-year contract.

Diess himself said: “The chairman of the board and his new board team have the full support of the supervisory board when it comes to the reorientation towards electromobility, digitization, but also about increasing efficiency and profitability is possible. ” This opinion was recorded unanimously in the control committee.

Clear line The chief executive officer had to convert to more electric drives and software, as well as in the dispute over the occupation of the other three posts, urged to get started right now. According to reports, Diess had thus demanded a clear commitment to his course, because he saw himself being thwarted in important decisions by the employees. In the case of some of the supervisors, however, he is said to have conjured up their displeasure with the question of confidence, which is why it almost turned into a acid test.

Now stands Compromise. One appreciates “the single-mindedness and tenacity with which Herbert Diess drives the technological change, the contribution to the achievement of the climate goals, but also the economic results of the company”, explained the supervisory board.

E-car in Wolfsburg The committee also supported the employee’s demand for a significant electric model for the main plant in Wolfsburg. So far, there has only been an agreement to make a decision about this in the coming year.

Initially, VW in Germany will have the plants in Zwickau, Emden and Hanover for electric models. With the commitment for an important electric car, the world’s largest automobile factory is now also taking a step into the electric age at its headquarters – which should at least be seen as an important point win for Osterloh, who has long been demanding additional models for Wolfsburg. According to the group, it is about “the future leading electric vehicle of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand”.

Stress ex works Osterloh also emphasized: “In the implementation, all those involved continue to commit themselves to the equality of economic efficiency and job security as well as to the importance of training. With this we prove once again that we can only master the great challenges that lie ahead of us best together.”

Diess and Osterloh had clashed several times – after the negotiation of the savings and conversion program “Future Pact”, most recently also during the breakdowns in the production of the new Golf 8. In June there was a scandal: Diess threw supervisors Criminal offenses after sensitive information from the golf production was leaked.

Diess had to accept a setback in his efforts to streamline the group’s structure. According to the will of the supervisory board, the motorcycle brand Ducati and the sports car manufacturer Lamborghini are to remain in the VW Group. To achieve this, the factories should continue to work on productivity, the fixed and material costs should continue to fall in the coming years – a core project of Diess, since he 2015 came to Volkswagen from BMW. The group also wants to “leverage synergies” through a management assignment of the British luxury brand Bentley to Audi.

(kbe)